Disk method for producing the same and device for carrying out said method

ABSTRACT

A disk consists of one or more plies or layers ( 1, 2, 3 ) which lie one on the other and which are connected to one another in their edge region ( 10 ) and consequently have a compression region ( 20 ) on their circumference ( 4 ). Such a disk is provided for the application and/or absorption of liquid or semisolid substances. In this case, the compression region ( 20 ) is provided at a radial distance (B) from the circumference ( 4 ) of the disk. Consequently, the material fibers directed outward from the compression region ( 20 ) are so long that they are not rigid, but, instead, are slightly flexible.

The present invention relates to a disk or a swab consisting of one ormore plies for the application and/or absorption of liquid or semisolidsubstances, edge parts of the ply or plies lying one on the other in asheetlike manner, and the disk having a compression region on itscircumference, to a method for the production of same and to a devicefor carrying out the method.

A disk or a swab of this generic type, made from cotton wadding andhaving a round, elliptic or angular shape, are known, for example, fromEP-B 0 405 043.

Disks of the generic type mentioned have become an article of use inhygiene, cosmetics and medicine. The products hitherto obtainable on themarket, although satisfying the requirements as to absorbency andsoftness, nevertheless exhibit an undesirable formation of fluff, sothat wadding fibers are left behind on the skin when a liquid orsemisolid substance is applied to the skin or is washed away from this.Another disadvantage of these wadding disks which are already known isthat the wadding layers lying one on the other have insufficientcohesion, so that the wadding disk, while being used, falls apart at arelatively early stage.

The European patent specification mentioned, admittedly, discloseswadding disks in which the edges of the individual layers of the diskare connected to one another. This connection point forms a kind of seamin which the fibers of the individual disk layers are intermingled andconnected to one another. Such a seam is relatively rigid. Particularlywhen a person's skin is sensitive, a scratching sensation may arise whensuch a disk is being used.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantagesmentioned and further disadvantages of the disks which are alreadyknown.

Since, in the case of a round disk according to the invention, thesheetlike edge parts of the material plies form an essentially flatring, the edge parts of the plies lying one on the other in this ring,and since this ring is defined on its outside by the circumferentialsurface of the disk and on its inside by the zone of the compressionregion or of the groove, a distance between the circumferential surfaceof the disk and the compression region can be selected such that thematerial fibers directed outward from the compression region are so longthat they are not rigid, but, instead, are slightly flexible.

Where both disk and method are concerned, it must be noted that the term“radial distance” refers to the distance from any center of symmetry ofthe disk or from a center of gravity of the disk, this being directlyunderstandable in the case of polygons.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in moredetail below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a disk according to a first exemplaryembodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows, in perspective, the disk from FIG. 1, in which the layerswhich it has and the edges of which are normally connected to oneanother have been placed at a distance from one another in a region ofsaid edges,

FIG. 3 shows the disk from FIG. 1 in a vertical section,

FIG. 4 shows, enlarged, a detail from FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows, in a vertical section, a first version of a tool of adevice for the production of the disk,

FIG. 6 shows, in a vertical section, a second version of a tool of adevice for the production of the disk,

FIG. 7 shows, in a vertical section, a third version of a tool of adevice for the production of the disk,

FIG. 8 shows, enlarged, a detail of the tool from FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 shows, in a vertical section, a fourth version of a tool of adevice for the production of the disk,

FIG. 10 shows a diagrammatic bottom view of the male die of the toolaccording to FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a detail along the line 11—11from FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a detail along the line 12—12from FIG. 10,

FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of the femaledie and male die according to a first embodiment of a male die andfemale die,

FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of the femaledie and male die according to a second embodiment of a male die andfemale die,

FIG. 15 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of the femaledie and male die according to a third embodiment of a male die andfemale die, and

FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of the femaledie and male die according to a fourth embodiment of a male die andfemale die.

The disk or swab illustrated in FIG. 1 to 4 may serve, for example, forthe application, removal and/or absorption of liquid or semisolidsubstances. In this illustrated example, it has three layers or plies 1,2 and 3 (FIG. 2), each of which has a circular contour. The diskillustrated thus has a circular circumferential wall 4. The disk doesnot need solely to have a circular contour. Its contour orcircumferential wall 4 may also run elliptically or else angularly, thatis to say form a polygon. In a simple version, the present disk may haveonly two plies. These two plies may be the middle layer 1 and only oneof the outer plies 2 or 3 or only the two outer plies 2 and 3.

In other embodiments, there may even be a structure having no plies, asit were a single-ply structure, in which, for example, celluloseelements are deposited in a single layer and then pressed together.

Identical features have been designated in each case by the samereference symbols in all the figures.

For clearer illustration, the present, that is to say, here, three-ply,disk in FIG. 2 is designed in such a way that the plies 1 to 3 of thedisk, which normally lie one on the other, are located at a distancefrom one another in a region of the circumference of the disk. Themiddle ply or layer 1 of the disk is assigned the two further outerlayers 2 and 3, in such a way that the outer layers 2 and 3 lie, overtheir inner large surfaces 8, on the plane large surfaces 5 of themiddle layer 1. The middle ply 1 has an edge part 11, the upper outerply 2 has an edge part 12 and the lower outer ply 3 has an edge part 13.

The layers 1 to 3 may consist of the same material or of differentmaterials. The material of the layers 1 to 3 is to be absorbent.Advantageously, this material or said materials is or are fibrous, inwhich case the fiber material may be cotton, viscose, synthetic fibersor a mixture of these. It is particularly advantageous if cotton waddingis used for the layers 1 to 3.

The material layers 1, 2 and 3 are assigned to one another in such a waythat they form a cohesive sandwich structure. This is achieved, forexample, in that at least the edge parts 11, 12 and 13 of said materiallayers 1 to 3 are connected to one another or interconnected in asheetlike manner.

If the diameter of the inner material ply 1 is smaller than the diameterof the outer plies 2 and 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the edge parts 12and 13 of the outer material plies 2 and 3 then lie directly one on theother.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a further version of the disk, in which thediameter of all the material plies 1 to 3 is approximately equal. Inthis case, that material 111 of the inner ply 1 which is located in theedge region 11 of the middle ply 1 lies between the edge parts 12 and 13of the outer plies 2 and 3. The diameter of the inner ply 1 with regardto the diameter of the outer plies 2 and 3 to be selected such that thetips of the fringes 111 of the inner ply 1 lie in a line with the endfaces 121 and 131 of the outer plies 2 and 3 in the finished product.Consequently, the circumferential wall 4 of such a disk comprises thepartially fringed material 111 of the middle ply 1 and thecircumferential or end faces 121 and 131 of the edges 12 and 13 of theouter plies 2 and 3 of the disk.

The same applies both to two-ply disks and to disks without a plystructure. Even the last-mentioned disks have a region of fringedmaterial which, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, hasbeen given the reference symbol 111.

The disk has at least one groove 20. This groove 20 extends eithercontinuously or discontinuously, that is to say in at least one limitedregion of the length of the disk circumference, along the circumferenceof the disk. The discontinuous run of the groove 20 occurs, for example,when the circumferential surface 4 of the disk has corners. It is alsoconceivable, however, for the groove 20 to be formed only in sectionsalong the circumference of a circular disk.

The groove 20 extends, for example, at a distance from and parallel tothe circumferential surface 4 of the disk. The distance may be constantor may vary. The disk (FIG. 1 to 4) has a first circularly runninggroove 20 in the upper outer ply 2 and a second circularly runninggroove 20 in the lower outer ply 3. The respective groove 20 is formedin the fibrous material of the respective ply 1 or 2 or 3 from the outerlarge surface 5 or 6 of the latter. Both the upper and the lower groove20 have the same diameter Dr and they run parallel to thecircumferential surface 4 of the disk. The grooves 20 which are assignedto one another lie one above the other or opposite to one another. Therespective groove 20 subdivides the respective ply 1, 2 or 3 into amiddle or large-area portion 5 or 6 and an essentially annular portion11, 12 or 13. The diameter Dr of the groove 20 is therefore smaller thanthe diameter Du of the circumferential surface 4 of the disk.

The cross section of the respective groove 20 is in the form of an openU. Consequently, the cross section of the groove 20 has flanks 21 and 22running obliquely apart from one another and an arcuate bottom 23 (FIG.4) connecting to one another those ends of the flanks 21 and 22 whichlie nearer to one another. The first flank 21 of the groove 20 in theouter ply 2 or 3 merges into the edge portion 12 or 13 of the respectiveouter ply 2 or 3. The second U-flank 22 of the groove 20 merges into themiddle large-area portion 6 of the outer ply 2 or 3.

The grooves 20 of a disk are oriented in directions opposite to oneanother, so that they open in directions opposite to one another. Theirbottoms 23 face one another with their convex portions. Under somecircumstances, it may be expedient if there is more than one groove 20in the plies 1 to 3. In this case, such grooves have different diametersand they lie concentrically to one another.

In the version of the disk according to FIG. 1 and 2, the fibers of theouter plies 2 and 3, which are located in the region of the outside ofthe bottoms 23 of the grooves 20 assigned to one another, lie directlyone on the other. In the version of the disk according to FIGS. 3 and 4,the fibrous material of the first or inner ply 1 lies between thebottoms 23 of the grooves 20 assigned to one another. During theformation of the grooves 20, the fibers of the inner ply 1 are veryhighly pressed together or nipped between the material of the groovebottoms 23. The result of this is that the fibers of the inner ply 1 areheld on the spot by the fibers of the outer plies 2 and 3 and cannotmove with respect to these. The inner ply 1 consisting of fibrousmaterial may be looser than the fibrous material of the outer plies 2, 3of the disk. In an embodiment, not illustrated in the figures, of a diskwithout plies, the fiber material not forming definite plies is pressedtogether in the region of the groove 20, in order to obtain per se thedesired nipping and pressing together of the edge regions of the swab.

The dimensional line relating to the diameter Dr of the groove 20 passesthrough the middle of the width of the bottom 23 of the groove 20. Halfthe difference between the diameter Du of the circumferential surface 4and the diameter of the groove Dr gives the width B of the annular edge10 of the disk. This width of the annular disk edge 10 may amount, forexample, to 1 mm. The width of the groove 20 itself may amount, forexample, to 0.5 mm.

The middle of the bottom 23 of the respective groove 20 is thus locatedat a distance B from the circumferential surface 4 of the disk or fromthe circumferential surface 121 or 131 of the outer ply 2 or 3. Thewidth B of this annular edge 10 of the disk is to be selected such thatit is possible for the fibers of the plies 1 to 3 to lie one on theother in a sheetlike manner in the edge region 10 of the disk oversufficiently long sections. It arises from this, furthermore, that thelength of the fibers of the plies 1 to 3 is to be selected larger thanthe width B of the disk edge 10, so that said fibers, when they arelocated, at one end, in the region of the disk edge 10, can extendthrough the region of the grooves 20 into the interior 5 or 6 of therespective ply 1 to 3. For example, where cotton fibers are concerned,this requirement can be fulfilled without difficulty. This sheetlikelying of the materials of only the outer plies 2 and 3 (FIG. 1 and 2) orof all three plies 1 to 3 one on the other takes place, above all, inthat portion of the edge region 10 of the disk which is located betweenthe bottoms 23 of the grooves 20 opposite one another.

The distance between the circumferential surface 4 and the diameter ofthe groove 20 may also be selected such that those portions of thefibers of the inner ply 1 which project outward from the groove 20 areso long that they are not rigid, but slightly flexible. The fringes 11having such a length prevent the scratching sensation already mentioned,when the disk is used in the way specified.

With regard to the disk already known from EU-B 0 405 043, theconnection of the fibers of all three plies 1 to 3 occurs while the diskis being punched out from a three-ply material web, specifically by theends of the fibers located in the region of the punching knives beingpinched together. Sometimes, that bead at the edge of the disk in whichthe ends of the cut-off fibers are pinched together comes loose. This isbecause the ends of the fibers which are located inside the bead arevery short.

During the punching-out operation, the fibers of, above all, the outerplies are drawn to a great extent out of the remaining material of theouter plies in the direction of the inner ply, so that these fibers losethe original hold with the fibers of the remaining part of the materialin the outer ply. This often causes a tear to occur between thecircumferential bead, in which the ends of the fibers of all three pliesare pressed together, and the remaining material of the outer plies.This tear extends mostly over an appreciable length of the circumferenceof the disk, with the result that the original cohesion of the threedisk plies may likewise be lost.

Where the present disk is concerned, these problems do not arise. Thecohesion of the disk plies 1 to 3 is determined by the conditions in theregion of the relatively wide grooves 20 of the relatively wide edge 10of the disk. In the region of the bottom 23 of the grooves 20, thematerial fibers are not cut off, but, instead, continue their run out ofthe middle region 6 of the ply into the edge parts 11, 12 and 13 of theplies 1 to 3. When the plies 1 to 3 or at least the outer plies 2 and 3lie one on the other over a large area in the region of the grooves 20,there is friction or adhesion among the adjacent material fibers,specifically over considerable lengths of the latter. In the presentdisk, the fibers located in the region of the second U-flanks 22 of theouter layers 2 and 3 are not drawn to such a great extent as hithertoout of the bond with the fibers of the remaining part 6 of the outer ply2 or 3, because, instead, due to the formation of the groove 20, onlythe run of these fibers is changed. The same effect likewise occurs inthe case of single-ply or multi-ply disks.

At the location of the groove 20, the material, for example fibrousmaterial, there is pressed together or pinched together in such a waythat the material plies are and remain connected to one another in theregion of the disk groove 20.

In this case, instead of the groove 20, in general, a compression regionmay be provided, which is provided at a radial distance from thecircular circumferential edge 4. This radial distance may be constant orvariable (varying periodically along the circumferential path). Itspresence ensures that material 111 remains on the far side of thecompression region 20, along with the advantages described. Inparticular, and this is achieved by means of the stamping toolsaccording to FIG. 5 and the following figures, the compression region isa periodic sequence of stamped and nipped regions, in which case thestamped portions may form continuous holes in the disk.

Furthermore, under the circumstances mentioned, it is possible for thefibrous material located in the region of the grooves 20 of therespective plies 2 and 3 to be pressed together or pinched together insuch a way that the material plies 2 and 3 are connected to one anothervery firmly in the region of the disk grooves 20. For when asufficiently high pressure is exerted on the fiber material in theregion of the grooves 20, the fibers of one outer ply 2 or 3 penetrateinto the region of the fiber material of the other outer ply 3 or 2,and, as a result, a firm connection occurs between relatively longsections of the fibers of the plies 2 and 3 lying one above the other.The same applies correspondingly when the fibers of the edge part 111 ofthe inner ply 1 are located between the edge parts 121 and 131 of theouter plies 2 and 3. In the case of a single-ply swab, this relates tothe fibers which run essentially in a first, for example uppermost,plane and which make a firm connection with other fibers running in asecond, for example lowermost, plane.

FIG. 5 shows, in a vertical section, a first device for the productionof the present disk when this disk has a circumferential surface 4running in a roundish manner, that is to say, for example, circularly orelliptically. This device comprises, inter alia, a female die 31 and amale die 32 associated with it. It goes without saying that thesecomponents of the present device can be used in a press known per sewhich can execute the necessary movements of the male die 32. Saidcomponents of the present device are designed in such a way that theyhave a cutting portion and a nipping portion, these portions being partsof an active portion 28 on the female die 31 and of an active portion 29on the male die 32.

In the use, mentioned here, for a round swab, the basic body 33 of themale die 32 is essentially cylindrical and said active portion 29 on themale die 32 is assigned to the end face of the cylinder 33. The male diebasic body 33 has a diameter D1. That end face of the male die basicbody 33 which is located opposite the active portion 29 of the male die32 and on which the press acts when this device is in operation isprovided with a ply 30. This ply 30 consists of a resilient material,for example of an elastomer.

The basic body 34 of the female die 31 is essentially plate-shaped andan orifice 35 is formed in this plate 34. The axis of this female dieorifice 35 and the axis of the male die 32 lie in a common axis A. Thediameter D2 of the orifice 35 in the female die 31 is smaller than thediameter D1 of the male die 32. Said active portion 28 on the female die31 is formed in that mouth of the female die orifice 35 which faces themale die 32.

The active portion 29 of the male die 32 comprises a peripheral chamfer36 which extends along the circumference of the male die basic body 33.This chamfer 36 has a lateral surface which is in the form of theenvelope of a truncated cone. The diameter of that base of thistruncated cone 36 which adjoins the basic body 33 of the male die 32likewise has the diameter D1. At the transition between the male diebasic body 33 and this cone wall 36, an edge 38 is present. The diameterof that base of the truncated cone 36 which faces away from the basicbody 33 of the male die 32 has a diameter D3. This diameter D3 issmaller than the diameter D2 of the orifice 35 in the female die 31.

Since the active portion 29 just described projects from the end face ofthe male die basic body 33, this portion 29 is also designated as aconvex chamfer.

The active portion 28 of the female die 31 comprises a peripheral groove41 which is formed in that mouth of the female die orifice 35 whichfaces the male die 32. The section through this groove 41 or through thebottom 42 of this groove 41 is in the form of a curved line, thecurvature of this line being directed into the interior of the materialof the female die 31. The angular position of this curve 42 is about 90degrees. Since this chamfer 41 is directed into the interior of thefemale die, this chamfer 41 is also called a concave chamfer. The angleof the curve 42 may also lie, in particular, between 70 and 110 degrees.

One end 47 of the curve 42 adjoins the upper surface 43 of the femaledie basic body 34, specifically so as to form an edge 45. This end part47 of the curve 42 is virtually perpendicular to said female die surface43. This edge 45 has a diameter D4, and this diameter D4 is smaller thanthe diameter D1 of the upper edge 38 on the male die 32. The other endof the bottom curve 42 adjoins the inner face 44 of the orifice 35 inthe female die 31, specifically so as to form an edge 46. This edge 46has the same diameter D2 as the female die orifice 35. This end part 46of the bottom curve 42 is essentially perpendicular to the inner face 44of the orifice 35 in the female die 31.

A straight line g may be imagined which passes through the points 45 and46 and intersects the axis A so as to form an angle alpha. The angle ofinclination alpha (α) of this straight line 9 and therefore also of acone envelope 57 which is drawn through said points 45 and 46 and inwhich the straight line g forms the generatrix is somewhat larger thanthe angle of inclination beta (β) of the chamfer 36 on the male die 32with respect to the central axis A. The exemplary embodiment of theinvention shows, in FIG. 5, an application in which D1>D4>D2>D3.

During the production of the disks, a web-shaped material is led betweenthe female die 31 and the male die 32, that is to say above the surface43 of the female die 31. The angle of inclination beta of the cone wall36 on the male die 32 is less steep or is selected larger than the anglealpha. During the closing of the tool as a result of the movement of themale die 32 in relation to the female die 31 according to the arrow 90,first the cone envelope 36 comes to lie on the outer edge 45 of theconcave chamfer 41 in such a way that the disk is cut out from theweb-shaped material between the cone wall 36 on the male die 32 and theedge 45 on the female die 31. Moreover, the edge part of this disk isnipped between the cone wall 36 and the lower edge 46 on the female die31. This nipping gives rise to the groove 20, already described, in theplies 2 and 3 and to the ends of the fibers in the edge part 11 of themiddle ply 1 being pressed together (FIG. 4). It must be noted that, inthe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, a periodic structure correspondingto FIG. 10 is provided in the female die 31. In the case of a simplerversion, however, it would also be possible for no periodic structure tobe provided.

In the embodiment of the present device, as illustrated in FIG. 6, themale die 32 is designed in virtually the same way as was described inconnection with FIGS. 5 and 9.

The female die 31 has a main plate 51 and an auxiliary plate 52 lyingbelow the latter. The female die orifice 35 passes through the twofemale die plates 51 and 52. An orifice 53 with an enlarged diameter isformed, from the underside of the main plate 51, in this main plate 51.That mouth of this enlarged orifice 53 which faces the male die 32 isprovided with an annular abutment 54 which is arranged inside theenlarged orifice 53 and the outer face of which is flush with thesurface 43 of the female die 31. The diameter of the orifice in thisperipheral abutment 54 is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the maledie basic body 33.

The orifice 53 with the enlarged diameter is lined with a clamping ring55. In the outer edge of the upper end of the clamping ring 55 is formeda peripheral recess 58, the shape and dimensions of which are selectedsuch that the peripheral abutment 54 can be accommodated in this step58. The height of the peripheral recess 58 in the clamping ring 55 issmaller than the height of the peripheral abutment 54 in the female dieplate 51. The result of this is that the top side of the clamping ring55 lies at a lower level than the top side 43 of the female die 31.

The active portion 28 of the female die 31 comprises a cutting edge 59.This active portion 28 comprises, furthermore, a chamfer 57 which isformed in the upper end of the clamping ring 55. In the present case,this chamfer 57 has, in cross section, the form of the envelope of acone. The angle of inclination a (alpha) of this cone envelope 57 withrespect to the central axis A is somewhat larger than the angle ofinclination β (beta) of the chamfer 36 on the male die 32.

The height H2 of the clamping ring 55 is smaller than the height H1 ofthe main plate 51 of the female die 31. The gap located between theunderside of the clamping ring 55 and the auxiliary plate 52 lying belowit is filled by a flat ring 56 which consists of a resilient material,for example an elastomer. The height of this flat ring 56 is selectedsuch that, in the state of rest of the device, this flat ring 56slightly presses the clamping ring 55 against the underside of theperipheral abutment 54.

During the descent of the male die 32, the web material is first pressedtogether between the cone 36 on the male die 32 and the cutting edge 59on the female die 31 in such a way that the disk is cut out from thematerial web. The edge part of the cut-out disk is in this case pressedtogether between the conical surfaces 36 and 57 in such a way that thebond is formed among the fibers of the individual fiber plies 1 to 3.Since the chamfer 36 on the male die 32 runs somewhat more steeply thanthat on the female die, the peripheral grooves 20 in the disk are formedin a single operation together with the cutting out of the latter. Thedevice according to FIG. 6 has no periodic stamping structure either inthe female die 31 or in the male die 32. This could, however, be addedboth in the female die 31 and in the male die 32 according to theexemplary embodiments of FIG. 5 or 7.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show yet another possibility for the design of the presentdevice. The essentially plate-shaped female die 61 has an orifice 62with a diameter D6. A peripheral or annular projection 65 rises out ofthe surface 43 of the female die basic body 63. This ring 65 has aquadrangular cross section with the free-standing wall surfaces 66, 67and 68. The last-mentioned wall surface 68 is flush with the inner face69 of the orifice in the female die 61. The second wall surface 67extends horizontally away from the inner face 68, and, at the end ofthis end face 67, the likewise already mentioned outer face 66 of theprojection 65 adjoins the end face 67 at right angles, so that thisouter face 66 terminates in the surface 43 of the female die 61. Theouter face 66 has a diameter D7, the diameter D6 of the female dieorifice 62 being smaller than the diameter D7 of the outer face 66.

In the present case, the basic body 73 of the male die 72 is somewhatsheetlike and has a continuous orifice 74. The diameter of this male dieorifice 74 is equal to the diameter D7 of the outer face 66 of the ring65. The edge 70 on the female die 61, said edge being located betweenthe wall surface 66 and 67 of the projection 65, serves as a cuttingedge on the female die. The corresponding countercutting edge 75 on themale die 72 is defined by, virtually at right angles to one another, theinner face 76 of the orifice 74 in the male die 72 and the end face 77of the male die 72, said end face being at right angles to said innerface and directly adjoining the male die orifice 74.

A clamping plate 80 is arranged in the male die orifice 74. Thisclamping plate 80 is provided with a peripheral bead 81 which is formedon the large surface, facing the female die 61, of the clamping plate 80and which projects from this large surface toward the female die 61.This bead 81 adjoins the outer edge of the clamping plate 80. The heightof the clamping plate 80 is smaller than the height of the basic body 73of the male die 72, and the free space above the clamping plate 80 isfilled with a resilient medium 83 which may be, for example, anelastomer. In FIG. 7 and 8, the bead 81 is not of uniform height, buthas teeth. It is also possible to provide a straightforward peripheralclamping bead 81.

When the male die 72 descends in a movement in the direction of thearrow 90, the disk is cut out from the web material by means of thecutting edges 70 and 75. With a continued downward movement of the maledie 72, the edge part of the disk is nipped between the end 67 of theprojection 65 on the female die 61 and the bead 81 of the clamping plate80. In this case, the fibers of the three plies 1 to 3 of the disk arepressed onto or into one another so firmly that a connection between theedge parts of these plies 1 to 3 is obtained.

The essence of the method for the production of the present disks isthat the disk is cut out from a single-ply or multi-ply material web,and grooves are formed at a distance from said cutting point. These twooperations are carried out during a single stroke of the device. In theregion of the grooves, the fibers of the material of the material ply ormaterial plies lying one on the other have been driven one into theother to an extent such that the plies lying one on the other are firmlyconnected to one another at least in the region of these grooves.

At least one of the material plies of the disk may be colored, which maybe achieved, for example, in a method known per se. Or at least one ofthe material plies may contain colored fibers. Furthermore, the outerface of at least one of the outer plies may have recessed points, forexample stamped points. If desired, these last-described measures couldbe combined with one another, so that the stamped points or theunstamped points of a disk are colored.

FIG. 9 shows, in a vertical section, a fourth version of a tool of adevice for the production of the disk. As compared with the version ofFIG. 6, the male die 32 is provided at its conical end region 36, nearthe lower edge 91, with an intermittent structure 92, 93 which consistsof solid material or noses 93 and recesses 92. This structure can beseen more clearly in FIG. 10 to 12.

FIG. 10 shows a diagrammatic bottom view of the male die 32 of the toolaccording to FIG. 9, FIG. 11 then showing a cross-sectional view of adetail along the line 11—11 from FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 showing across-sectional view of a detail along the line 12—12 from FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 shows the male die 32 highly diagrammatically, in particularonly the stamping cone 36 as the active region 29 of the male die 32.This active region is illustrated as a complete circle, that is to sayin all four quadrants. It consists of noses 93 and of recesses 92between these noses 93. In the case of a stamping ring with a diameterof, for example, 57 millimeters, the recess 92 or distance S between twoadjacent noses 93 (or between two recesses 92) is, for example, between0.3 and 1.5 millimeters. The angle gamma (γ) spanned in this case is,for example, 4.8 degrees. The radial line 11—11 passes through a nose 93which is then illustrated in the view of a detail in FIG. 11. The radialline 12—12 passes through a recess 92 which is then illustrated in theview of a detail in FIG. 12.

FIG. 11 shows a nose 93 which extends beyond the level of the recess,said level being indicated by a broken line 94. FIG. 12 shows the recess92, the bottom of which forms the line 94. The depth 95 of the recess 92(or the height of the nose 93) may be between 0.3 and 1.5 millimeters,preferably between 0.5 and 1.0 millimeters.

The edge 96 is perpendicular to the cutting face and parallel to themid-axis. The side 98 is at angle of 40 to 60 degrees and the side 97 atan angle of 30 degrees to the mid-axis.

FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of a female die131 and a male die 132 according to a first embodiment of these.Consequently, such a female die/male die combination 131/132 can be usedcorrespondingly in the devices according to the figures described above.The noses 93 and recesses 92 are designed in a similar way to theexemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 to 12, here oblique flanks99 forming the transitions between the noses 93 and the recesses 92. Thefemale die 131 has a plane design here, so that nipping of the diskoccurs in the region 133 at the tips of the noses. The functions offemale die and male die are, of course, exchangeable, that is to say thenoses 93 are formed on the female die 131.

FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of a female die231 and a male die 232 according to a second embodiment of these. Here,the female die 231 and male die 232 have noses 93 and recesses 92located opposite one another, so that the nipping takes place in theregions 233 in which the noses 93 butt one onto the other.

FIG. 15 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of a female die331 and a male die 332 according to a third embodiment of these. Here, afemale die 331 and male die 332 have noses 93 and recesses 92 offset inrelation to one another, the noses 93 being narrower than the width ofthe recesses 92, so that the nipping takes place in the regions 333 inwhich the noses 93 of the male die 332 butt onto the bottom surface ofthe recesses 92 of the female die 331 and vice versa. A free space 334then remains in each case in the region of the flanks 99 of the male die332 and female die 331.

Finally, FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic side view, from the inside, of afemale die 431 and a male die 432 according to a fourth embodiment ofthese. Here, the female die 431 and male die 432 also have noses 93 andrecesses 92 offset in relation to one another, but in this case thenoses 93 are wider than the width of the recesses 92, so that thenipping takes place in the regions 433 in which the flanks of the noses93 of the male die 432 and female die 431 butt one onto the other. Afree space 434 then remains in each case in the region between the tipof each nose 93 and the bottom surface of each recess 92 of the male die332 and female die 331.

Various nipping effects and nipping structures in the disks according toFIG. 1 can be achieved by means of these designs of female dies and maledies which can be used in all the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 5 to10. A multiplicity of possibilities for the production of such disks arethus afforded. The dimensions of the angles and depths of the individualnoses 93 and recesses 92 may be selected according to the materials anddimensions (for example, thickness) and shapes (for example, circular orellipsoidal) used for the disk.

A person skilled in the art will note that stamping/nipping is carriedout at the respective inner edge of the device and cutting is carriedout at the outer edge. Furthermore, the convex shape of the curve 42(FIG. 5) provides a reception space for the lateral bundle duringstamping or nipping.

1. A disk for the application and/or absorption of liquid or semisolidsubstances, consisting essentially of at least one upper ply and onelower ply of fibrous material, the upper ply and the lower ply havingunattached edge parts lying one on the other in a sheetlike manner, thedisk having a compression region at a radial distance from thecircumference of the disk, the compression region being a groove formedon both sides of the edge parts of the plies, wherein the fibrousmaterial which is located in the region of the groove is pressedtogether or pinched together in such a way that the plies of fibrousmaterial are connected to one another in the region of the groove;characterized in that the compression region (20) is providedintermittently (92, 93).
 2. The disk as claimed in claim 1, having aninner ply located between the upper and the lower ply, wherein thediameter of the inner ply is smaller than the diameter of thecompression region.
 3. The disk as claimed in claim 1, having an innerply located between the upper and the lower ply, wherein the diameter ofthe inner ply is at least equal to the diameter of the outer materialplies, wherein the material of the inner ply which is located in theedge region of the latter lies between the edge material of the outerplies and is pressed together or pinched together with the edgematerial.